Have you found yourself eating out less and less as the recession starts to bite? There’s one area which isn’t suffering in this current economic climate: groceries. Supermarkets (and book sellers) are doing a roaring trade as a result of more people cooking and eating more meals at home, so there are definitely bargains to be had!

Here are a couple of shopping tips to help you fill your fridge without emptying your wallet:

• Pick the right time to shop
  If you go to the supermarket in the late evenings just before the shops close, especially before weekends and public holidays, you’ll be able to pick up bargains on items that are due to expire or have entered a discount cycle designed to clear out stock. Back when I first moved to Sydney I used to live directly upstairs from a Woolworths, and by cruising for mark downs, I saved hundreds of dollars and ate like a king (mmm… nothing beats the taste of fresh roast chicken on the cheap).
• Spend less by buying more
  Look out for grower’s markets in your area and buy fruits and vegies by the box. It’s always better than the tasteless supermarket stuff, and is probably healthier too. A word of advice though: try and get a few friends together to share with (about 3 couples is ideal). One time, my Russian housemate Vladimir and I shared a box of tomatoes – bad idea! We ended up eating tomatoes for breakfast (tomato and cheese toast), lunch (sliced tomatoes in sandwiches) and dinner (in curry)!

What are your tricks for picking up supermarket bargains? Share them in the comments, below!